RALEIGH - Equipped with buckets, two UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters from the North Carolina Army National Guard's C Company 1st Aviation Assault Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment based in Salisbury, departed shortly after noon today to help battle forest fires near Myrtle Beach, SC.

The two helicopters, eight crew members and four additional operational personnel are responding to a request from the South Carolina Governor's office for additional assets from North Carolina to assist in this effort.

North Carolina's Guard assets will fall under the command and control of the South Carolina National Guard's operation.

The 600-gallon buckets are filled with water then released over the flames in targeted areas to help contain or extinguish the fire. The cross-state support is managed through the Emergency Management Compact Agreement where states agree to share National Guard assets in times of emergency.